Tim Kaine on War & Peace

Democratic Senate Challenger; previously Governor

We ended war in Iraq and are ending Afghan war now

President Obama said he'd end the war in Iraq, and he has. He said he'd draw down troops in Afghanistan, and today every Virginia
National Guard unit is home for the first time in a decade. He said he'd go after bin Laden and take out al-Qaida. He did, and a SEAL team earned our nation's gratitude.

Source: 2012 Democratic National Convention speech
, Sep 4, 2012

Supported Obama's stopping the Iraq War

Allen. "Were you or were you not advocating for their agenda? And their agenda surely wasn't consistent with what's in the best interests of the people of
Virginia."

"Wiping out al-Qaeda?" Kaine responded "Stopping the Iraq War? Saving the auto industry? Is that not being consistent with Virginia's interests? I just see it a different way than you do, George."
The candidates were asked about conservative proposals to declare that life begins at conception. Kaine opposed this, explaining that it would not only outlaw abortion, but would outlaw contraception such as the birth control pill and intra-uterine
devices.

Allen said that defining life as beginning at conception would not outlaw contraception, as "contraception" means stopping conception--that is, preventing fertilization from taking place.

Americans were given inaccurate information regarding Iraq

The president called again tonight for our commitment to win the war on terror and to support our troops. Every American embraces those goals. We can--we must--defeat those who attack and kill innocent people.

Our commitment to winning the war on terror
compels us to ask this question: Are the president’s policies the best way to win this war?

We now know that the American people were given inaccurate information about reasons for invading Iraq. We now know that our troops in Iraq were not given the
best body armor or the best intelligence. We now know the administration wants to cut tens of thousands of troops at the very time that we’re facing new and dangerous threats. And we now know that the administration wants to further reduce military and
veterans’ benefits. There’s a better way. Working together, we have to give our troops the tools they need to win the war on terror. And we can do it without sacrificing the liberty that we’ve sent our troops abroad to defend.